Additional lubricating device for aircraft engines



y 39431 M. Ducks-ram 2,248,568 ADDITIONAL LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR AIRCRAFT ENGINES Filed NOV. 16, 1939 QQAM,

Patented July 8, 1941 ADDETIONAL LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR AIRCRAFT ENGINES Application November 16, 1939, Serial No. 304,732

In Germany November 19, 1938 15 Claims.

This invention relates to an additional lubricating device for aircraft engines, and more particularly to a device mountedin the hollow pivot of the crank shaft for spraying oil into the crank case of a radial engine.

An object of this invention is to insure an adequate supply of oil at all times to the cylinder running surfaces and bearing points of an engine.

limited by the inner corrugated tube 2 and the disc 5. The space 8 is filled with oil at the prevailing operating pressure through the bores 9 in the disc 5. By this arrangement the space It which is enclosed by the corrugated tubes and filled preferably with a liquid of, if possible, a high coefficient of expansion, is surrounded by pressure oil in such a manner that the corrugated tubes are not submitted to any pressure Another object of this invention is to insure l and only respond to variations in temperature. an adequate supply of oil to the cylinder running For the modification of the cross-sectional passurfaces and bearing points of an engine, when sage area, radial bores H are provided in the the engine is cold. tube 6 carrying the nozzle, which bores are cov- Still another object of this invention is to in-' ered or exposed by the outer edge of the disc 5, sure an adequate supply of oil to the cylinder thus regulating the throughfiow of pressure oil running surface and bearing point of an engine during the starting of the engine.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a supplemental supply of oil to the cylinder running surfaces and bearing points of an engine during starting, by an arrangement which may be added in addition to the normal lubricating system.

A further object of this invention is the provisicn of a fluid dispensing device in which the amount of fluid dispensed is dependent upon the temperature of the fluid itself.

A more specific object of this invention is the provision of an non-clogging supplemental lubricating system for the cylinder running surfaces and bearing points of an engine, which is variable in accordance with the temperature of the lubricating oil.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

The single figure is a cross-sectional view of an additional lubricating device illustrated in the hollow pivot of an engine crank shaft.

The free ends of the corrugated tubes I, 2, which are fitted in the cover l3 of the casing 3 inserted in the crank pivot are closed by the disc 5. The casing 3 communicates with the general lubricating oil circulation by means of bores 4. The sleeve 7 is guided on the nozzle carrying and outwardly leading tube 6 to the largest possible extent, and serves at the same time to guide the corrugated tubes l and, 2, which are connected with the sleeve 1 by means of a disc 5. The sleeve 1 is located in the space 8,

to the nozzle. For the initial adjustment of the regulating device for the delivery of the necessary quantity of oil at a predetermined oil temperature, the tube ii carrying the nozzle and fitted into the casing wall is displaced in longitudinal direction by turning it and is locked in its place by a check nut l2.

The initial adjustment of the regulating device is such that in the case of cold oil the maximum throughfiow necessary is exposed. As the oil is heated up, the corrugated tubes l and 2 in consequence of the heating expand with the enclosed thermo-responsive liquid, and displace the disc 5, whereby the bores H are more or less closed by the disc according to! the movement and thus the oil throughflow to the tube carrying the nozzle becomes less. The device acts in the reverse manner on a reduction in temperature of the lubricating oil, so that by the regulating, according to the invention, the additional lubrication is correctly influenced, as in the case of cold oil more lubricant is supplied, and in the case of hot oil less lubricant.

To make it unnecessary to remove the whole casing fitted in the crank pivot in case'of trouble such as a clogged nozzle or incorrect response of the thermostat, the measuring box as well as the nozzle carrying tube are preferably fixed to a removable cover 13. The cover l3 may be provided at the same time with a lattice M, which protects the corrugated tubes of thin sheet metal against shocks and blows, i. e., against every unforeseen contact.

This invention may be utilized with special advantage for double-bank radial engines in which the casing carrying the regulating device is located in the divided central pivot of the crank shaft, as the nozzle carrying tube 3 may be replaced by a tube with two nozzles, shown in the drawing in broken lines and thus only one packtube having a nozzle at one end thereof, adjustable ing is necessary for both nozzles. means for mounting said tube on said cover within It will be obvious to those skilled in this art said casing, said tube being provided with a radial that the device according to the present invention bore, a sleeve slidably mounted on said tube, means is much more reliable than other devices which 5 for supplying a lubricant to within said casing, have heretofore been proposed. For example, in and means responsive to the temperature of said those cases where a thermostat has been used lubricant for varying the position of said slidable to vary the discharge from a nozzle by means sleeve along said tube to control the opening of of a cone, trouble has been experienced by a wedgsaid radial bore, whereby the flow of lubricant ing of the cone, thus resulting in either too much from said casing through said bore, tube and outor too little oil and destroying the entire function wardly through said nozzle is dependent upon the of the device. Similar trouble has been experitemperature of said lubricant. enced where the thermostat is connected with a 7. In a double-bank radial engine, a crank shaft movable hollow pivot provided with radial bores. having a hollow central pivot, a casing mounted In the present case, due to the equalization of within said piv a hollow tube having an Ou pressure upon the thermostat and the relatively wardly leading 1102218 at each e d the eof m unted simple action of the controlling sleeve, a smooth within said casing, Said t being P v ed W t and efiicient working of the device at all times a radial bore, a sleeve slidably mounted on said has been secured. It will be seen therefore, that tube, means for pp y a cant t0 With n 1 have provided a device which fulfills the object Said casing, a d ans resp ns ve to th t pe primarily stated, and, while I have shown a ingle ature of said lubricant for varying the position of e b dim nt of my i ention, it i clear th t th said slidable sleeve along said tube to control the forms thereof may readily be provided without Opening of Sa d d a bo whereby e f of departing from my invention as defined in the lubricant from said casing through said bore, tube claim which follow and outwardly through said nozzle is dependent I claim; upon the temperature of said lubricant. 1. In an engine a crank shaft having a hollow A fluid Controlling deViCe Comprising, in C pivot, a casing mounted within said pivot, a holation, a Casing, a hollow tube havin an low tube having an outwardly leading nozzle at wardly leading nozzle at at least one end thereof one end thereof mounted within said casing, said 30. mounted Within Said Casing, Said tube being P tube being provided with a radial bore, a, sleeve vided with a radial bore, a sleeve slidably mounted slidably mounted on said tube, means for sup- Said tube, means for pp y a fluid to Within plying a lubricant to within such casing, and Bald casmg, means responsive o p means responsive to the temperature of said lubriture of said fiuld for vary n the DOSitiOn f said cant for varying the position of said slidable slidable sleeve along d tube to control the opensleeve along said tube to control the opening of mg of 3 radial bore, eby the fiOW 0f fluid said radial bore, whereby the flow of lubricant from Sald Casing t fl l S bore, e and 0111 from said casing through said bore, tube and outwardly through a d nozzle is dependent LIDOH the wardly through said nozzle is dependent upon the p atu e of Said fluid.

temperature of said lubricant, oil 9. The combination according to claim 8, in 2. The combination according to claim 1, in which said tem at e ponsive means is said te nperature responsive means is mounted said casing co-axially t0 tube.

mounted within said casing co-axially to said tube. The Combination according to Claim in 3 The con bination according to claim 1 in combination a covering at one end Of Said combination with a covering at one end of said casing through Which d nozzle projects, and casing through which said nozzle projects, and a disc connected to said sleeve, and in which said a disc connected to said sleeve, and in which temperature-respohsive means Comprisesapair of said temperature responsive mean comprises a corrugated tubes arranged one the other, pair of corrugated tubes arranged ne ith th co-axially to said tube, and connected at one end other co axiany to tube and connected at to said COVBI and at the other to Said disc, the one end to said cover and at the other end to said closed Space between Said b s be ng filled with disc, the closed space between said tubes being a thel'moresponsive liquidfill d with a thermo responsive liquid 11. The combination according to claim 8, in

The combination according to claim 1, in combination with a covering at one end of said combination with a covering at one end of said caslilg through which said IIO ZIB p j c s, and Casing through which Said nozzle projects, and a disc connected to said sleeve, and in which a disc connected to said sleeve, and in which salfi temperature responsive a s comprises a Said temperature responsive means comprises a pair of corrugated tubes arranged one within the of corrugated tubes arranged one within the other, co-axially to said tube, and connected at one other, co-axially to said tube, and connected at g to sald cover and at the other d to Said one end to Said cover and at the other end to Said disc, the closed space between said tubes being disc, the closed space between said tubes being filled w a tlflermofresponsive q and Said filled with a thermo-responsive liquid, and said disc m Pm Wlth a bore to permit P s ng disc being provided with a bore to permit passing of the liquid into the space within the inner tube. of the lubricant into the space within the inner 5 combmatlon according to Claim 8, in tube combination with a cover inserted into one end of 5. The combination according to claim 1, in and Substantially Cylindrical plo- Combination with a cover inserted into one end tecting lattice connected to said cover within said of said casing, and a substantially cylindrical pro- Casmg ek said tube: Sleeve, and p tecting lattice connected to said cover within said ture responslve meanscasing, and about said tube, sleeve and tempera- In a radial engine, a crank Shaft having a responsive means. hollow pivot, a hollow cylindrical casing mounted 6. In a radial engine, a Crank haft, having a within said pivot, closure means for the end of hollow pivot, a casing mounted within said pivot, said casing, a hollow tube extending co-axially to a cover inserted in one end of said casing, ahollow said cylindrical casing and projecting beyond the closure means at both ends, said tube being formed with a nozzle at at least one projecting end thereof and with a radial bore intermediate its length, a sleeve slidably mounted on said tube, a disc having a longitudinal bore therethrough mounted on one end of said sleeve, a pair of corrugated tubes arranged one within the other, coaxially to said hollow tube and connected at one end to one of said closure means and at the other end to said disc outside of said longitudinal bore, and a thermo-responsive liquid in the space between the corrugated tube, and means for supplying a lubricant to within said casing and about said corrugated tubes, whereby a change in temperature of said lubricant expands or contracts said tube to move said disc and sleeve to control the flow of lubricant to said radial bore and thence through said tube and nozzle.

14. The combination according to claim 13, in combination with a protecting lattice connected to said one closure means and extending about said corrugated tubes, sleeve, disc, and hollow tube.

15. The combination according to claim 13, in which said hollow tube is slidably mounted in said closure means, in combination with means for adjustably fastening said tube relatively to said closure means and said casing.

MARTIN DUCKSTEIN. 

